02
Sep 26
Know Before You Borrow
If you own a small business and need money, particularly if a bank has already turned you down, commercials that promise fast approval and quick access to money can be pretty appealing. But before you say yes, slow down and make sure you understand exactly what you are agreeing to.
Virtual Lending and Contracting Overview Workshop for Small Businesses
Workshop on August 27
In-Person Lending and Contracting Overview Workshop for Small Businesses
Workshop on August 13
05
Aug 26
The Right Tool for the Job: Tonny Wilson, TtownTonny Transportation LLC
Not every business breakthrough is a bold new strategy. Sometimes, it’s just the right equipment. Tonny Wilson found that out firsthand while running his hotshot trucking business with a Dodge dually and a 40-foot trailer — until he noticed a shift toward smaller loads that didn’t quite fit his setup.…
05
Aug 26
The Missing Piece: Francy Diaz, JOFA Remodeling Services LLC
Every new service line a small business adds is more than a growth milestone — it’s often the difference between staying the same size and creating new jobs in the community. For Francy Diaz, that next step meant expanding JOFA Remodeling Services into rain gutter fabrication and installation, a move…
05
Aug 26
The Big Leagues: Kathy Scarbrough, Mighty Muscle Facilities Management
Big contracts often go to businesses with big names behind them — deep networks, established reputations, insider connections. BBRC exists to level that playing field, giving small business owners the same access, credibility, and preparation that larger competitors take for granted. Kathy Scarbrough is proof of what that can look…
05
Aug 26
The Long Partnership: Tanesha Sims-Summers, Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Co.
Some businesses lean on BBRC once, at a single turning point. Tanesha Sims-Summers and her husband Clem Summers trusted BBRC for support again and again — through an accelerator early in the journey, a stabilizing loan during COVID, a national showcase with Square, and support through a recent equipment crisis…
04
Aug 26
The Yes When Others Said No: Allen J Trainer, Len’s Café and Sports Bar
Securing funding for a new business isn’t easy — and for Allen J Trainer, it meant hearing “no” more than once before finding the right support. Here is Allen’s story — how persistence, and a team willing to roll up their sleeves, turned a challenging funding search into a real…
04
Aug 26
The Sign on the Door: Walter Baldwin, Dream Flavors
The Sign on the Door: Walter Baldwin, Dream Flavors Eight years ago, Dream Flavors was a small trailer serving shaved ice and snowballs on the streets of Birmingham. Today, the sign is officially on the door — co-owners Walter and LaShunda Baldwin have opened their first brick-and-mortar location. As part…
04
Aug 26
The Comeback Story: Angela Polk, At Home Auto Care
The Comeback Story: Angela Polk, At Home Auto Care Every entrepreneur has a moment that changes everything. For Lemard and Angela Polk, that moment came in 2020, when a corporate furlough during the COVID-19 pandemic became the catalyst for something entirely new. As part of BBRC’s 30 Years. 30 Stories.…
04
Aug 26
The Founding Story
The Founding Story When the Birmingham Business Resource Center officially opened its doors on November 25, 1996, it did not appear as a polished institution with a large budget, a gleaming headquarters, or a deep staff bench. It began the way many entrepreneurial ventures begin — with limited resources, enormous…
03
Aug 26
What Successful Small Businesses Do Differently
What Successful Small Businesses Do Differently Lessons from BBRC’s Pathways to Entrepreneurship Workshop People often ask what separates successful businesses from those that struggle. After decades in banking, community development, and small business advising, I’ve found that the answer is usually not intelligence, education, or even access to capital. Successful…
03
Aug 26
The Story of the BBRC, Part 2: Thirty Years and Still Counting
The Story of the BBRC, Part 2: Thirty Years and Still Counting By Bob DickersonExecutive Director, Birmingham Business Resource Center (BBRC) The most recent five-year period has been defined by disruption, acceleration, and redefinition. The COVID-19 pandemic did more than disrupt small businesses; it fundamentally altered how they operate, how…
03
Aug 26
The Story of the BBRC, Part 1: Thirty Years and Still Counting
The Story of the BBRC: Thirty Years and Still Counting By Bob Dickerson Executive Director, Birmingham Business Resource Center (BBRC) As the Birmingham Business Resource Center marks its 30th year, I find myself returning once again to the question of how to tell a story that is still unfolding. Time…
Alabama SBA Lending and Contracting Overview for Veterans
Info Sessions on August 12, 19, and 26
Hoover Area Chamber – Women’s Business & Leadership Council Coffee and Networking
August 5 - Free to attend, bring a friend!
04
Jun 26
Why the Birmingham Business Resource Center Exists
Why the Birmingham Business Resource Center Exists We are in the business of helping businesses get to yes. By Bob Dickerson Executive Director, Birmingham Business Resource Center (BBRC) In life, most people want the answer to be yes. Even as children, when we asked for candy, toys, or permission to…
01
Jun 26
America Says It Supports Small Business.
America Says It Supports Small Business. Now It’s Time to Support the Organizations That Support Small Business. By Bob Dickerson Executive Director, Birmingham Business Resource Center (BBRC) For decades, Americans have heard political leaders, corporate executives, philanthropists, and economic development professionals extol the importance of small businesses. We are told…
Junction 1910 Co-Working Space
Flexible Plans - Meeting Spaces - WiFi Access - Cafe Access
UAB 3rd Annual Entrepreneurship Spring Showcase
RSVP by April 16; FREE exhibitor tables available; Event will be held on Tuesday, April 21st, 5-7pm;
17
Mar 26
Let’s Talk Small Business
Let’s Talk Small Business Growth is the goal every business pursues. More customers, better revenue, a larger footprint, a stronger impact. But growing without a solid plan is risky. Ambition alone can outpace your systems, your cash flow, and your people. Growth deserves strategy—clear, doable steps you can measure, adjust,…
City of Birmingham OBDO: Coffee & Convo – March
Conversation: How Purpose and Passion Drive Entrepreneurship; March 21, 11:00 AM–1:30 PM at Pink Lantern
City of Birmingham OBDO: Coffee & Convo
Conversation: Historic Neighborhoods and New Opportunities; February 19, 10:30am-1pm at Heritage Coffee
04
Feb 26
BBRC Celebrates Local Business Owners
Heroism Rooted in Need, Not Notoriety Too often, entrepreneurship is celebrated only when it reaches massive scale or national visibility. But dignity, service, and sustainability matter more than headlines. Heroism in business is not rooted in notoriety—it is rooted in need. Black entrepreneurs step into gaps others overlook. They respond…
30
Dec 25
Standing Firm When It Matters Most: A Founder’s Reflection on BBRC in 2025
By Bob Dickerson, Founder, Birmingham Business Resource Center As 2025 ends, I can say without hesitation that this has been one of the most challenging operating environments the Birmingham Business Resource Center has faced since I founded the organization more than 29 years ago. I’ve led BBRC through multiple economic…
15
Sep 25
16th Street Baptist Church Bombing
On this day, September 15, 1963, as I walked home from Sunday school, I learned that the 16th Street Baptist Church had been bombed. Birmingham still sits in this position as the ground zero for the changes that were made after the bombing. We still think about the four little…